Gosh darnit people, look up the definition of racism.

 

rac?ism

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

 

Saying that a certain type of clothing is not allowed does not fall underneath either of those.

 

Yes, some African-Americans wear that certain type of clothing, but some white people do as well. It can't be "racism"...it could have some undertones that deal with race, but it's not racism. Therefore Stephen Jackson, as well as any one who yells "racism" wrongly, is an idiot.

 

If they didn't let blacks play in the NBA that would be racist. If blacks made less money than whites even though they did better, that would be racist. This isn't racist because it deals with whites, blacks, asians, latinos, etc.

 

It pains me to see a word thrown around so foolishly. It's ignorant.

 

 

That definition covers the overt forms of racisim fairly well, but I think it's missing an important element of racism, which is fear. Fear of other races, other cultures, the unknown, etc., and the subconcous impulses that extend from that fear. This is about white men fearing black culture. They don't understand it, and so they act out against it. This is about people like my dad, who would never overtly deny black people any measure of equality, yet readily admits that he can't get into basketball because he doesn't identify with most of the players. It has nothing to do with the game itself, just the people who play it. It has everything to do with the elements of hip-hop culture that permeate the game. This is a bunch of white men trying to wash that hip hop culture right out of the NBA game with a big bottle of White Out, so that they can feel comfortable with the NBA product once again.

 

This isn't the worst kind of racism, of the kind you and your Webster are talking about. But it is racism. It's not understanding a way of life that is different from yours, and doing something to change it, so that you can feel comfortable with what your watching.

Ok. Well that's not racism...maybe I'm just being too specific.

 

Racism sounds like such a harsh, horrible thing. What happened in the 50s, 60s and earlier was overt racism. What Hitler did was racism. This is not even close to those times and situations. That is why I said it has some race issues dealing with it (the culture).

 

Waaaaaa, Poor babies. Getting told what to do. Shutup. Go make your millions to put a ball through a basket.

it's a "way of life" that makes for a bad product

 

in mexico it is a way of life to put lead in candy, it even sells well and appeals to their culture ... however we pull it off the shelfs here, it isn't racist and insensitive to their culture, it just isn't the best kind of candy to be selling

I like how Jackson is assuming white players don't like wearing jewelry and all black players do.

Waaaaaa, Poor babies. Getting told what to do. Shutup. Go make your millions to put a ball through a basket.

 

 

Exactly. These players are so disgustingly spoiled. They receive major bucks alone just to buy food during road trips, for God's sake. Is it really that much to ask for to look semi professional off the court without making some big whoop about it? They can find it as distasteful, racial, or whatever...just shut up and f***ing comply.

it's a "way of life" that makes for a bad product

 

in mexico it is a way of life to put lead in candy, it even sells well and appeals to their culture ... however we pull it off the shelfs here, it isn't racist and insensitive to their culture, it just isn't the best kind of candy to be selling

 

 

This barely even qualifies as a bad analogy. Lead kills people; wearing jewelry does not.

 

Waaaaaa, Poor babies. Getting told what to do. Shutup. Go make your millions to put a ball through a basket.

 

 

Exactly. These players are so disgustingly spoiled. They receive major bucks alone just to buy food during road trips, for God's sake. Is it really that much to ask for to look semi professional off the court without making some big whoop about it? They can find it as distasteful, racial, or whatever...just shut up and f***ing comply.

 

I just don't think that because someone makes a lot of money they should have to put up with whatever bulls*** they're told to put up with. Maybe you don't think that a dress code is that big of a deal...

 

I just know that when my med school told us this year that they were instituting a dress code, we were up in arms for quite a while. It kind of sucks being told what to wear. It feels like there's a lack of respect. For us, it felt like a lack of respect for our judgment or maturity. For the players, it seems like they're feeling a lack of respect for their culture.

 

Obviously, we understood that when you go into the hospital, you have to dress respectfully. But this dress code applied to the classroom as well, and we just didn't get that. We still don't. I'd say about half the class complies with the code, and the other half doesn't give a sh*t.

 

 

 

Anyway, I think I'm done with this topic. I don't see myself convincing anyone of my viewpoint any time soon.

it's a "way of life" that makes for a bad product

 

in mexico it is a way of life to put lead in candy, it even sells well and appeals to their culture ... however we pull it off the shelfs here, it isn't racist and insensitive to their culture, it just isn't the best kind of candy to be selling

 

 

 

how does wearing baggy jeans, t's or jerseys along with jewelry off the court make for a bad product? imo these guys already have a dress code... a jersey, shorts and a warmup suit when they take the court.

I have no issue with having a dresscode while on the sidelines or in press conferences (baseball has one for the latter). Other than that, who cares what they wear. I don't watch sports based on what athletes wear. I watch sports based on what athletes do.

everything all ties into an image

 

i had the NBA pass last year and loved the style of game I was seeing ... the best season i've watched in probably a solid decade

 

however, most i know refused to even give it a look

 

professionalism is good for sports

 

if the perception that the players on the court are undisciplined, sloppy, showboats, etc ... and if their dress off the court reinforces this image, then it's a problem

 

look at the XFL - they had one image knock with their WWF tie ins - then on the court you have "he hate me", jerseys all out of sink, they just looked second rate

 

some people ate it up, but most just dismissed it all as a second rate goof - a wwf product where they couldn't even put together a uniform complete with real names

 

in reality, the league had some good to offer, did some innovative broadcasting features and could of presented itself in a more realistic way

 

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and not to stray too far off point, but don't you think people have died for their chain before? ... there have been pro athletes robbed for their jewelry

 

not to mention conflict diamonds and the like

 

or people trying to attain an image through any means necessary

 

people have been killed for a lot less than a chain

everything all ties into an image

 

i had the NBA pass last year and loved the style of game I was seeing ... the best season i've watched in probably a solid decade

 

however, most i know refused to even give it a look

 

professionalism is good for sports

 

if the perception that the players on the court are undisciplined, sloppy, showboats, etc ... and if their dress off the court reinforces this image, then it's a problem

 

look at the XFL - they had one image knock with their WWF tie ins - then on the court you have "he hate me", jerseys all out of sink, they just looked second rate

 

some people ate it up, but most just dismissed it all as a second rate goof - a wwf product where they couldn't even put together a uniform complete with real names

 

in reality, the league had some good to offer, did some innovative broadcasting features and could of presented itself in a more realistic way

 

--------

 

and not to stray too far off point, but don't you think people have died for their chain before? ... there have been pro athletes robbed for their jewelry

 

not to mention conflict diamonds and the like

 

or people trying to attain an image through any means necessary

 

people have been killed for a lot less than a chain

 

So you think if players start wearing suits off the court, they are going to stop being undisciplined, sloppy, showboats? I cant wait to see this. The same stuff is still going to drive them away. And the XFL's failure had nothing to do with their image, it had to do with them sucking.

some of you really don't understand how important image is do you?

And another thing that's being misused is the word "culture"...I don't see wearing shiny jewelry, chains and such as "culture"...it's more of just a fashion trend IMO.

 

It's really throwing sh*t against the wall and hoping that it sticks here by Jackson and some of the other players.

in a way u can understand what these nba playaz are cryin 4...

 

i can understand if ya injured and you cant play so you sit on the sidelines with ya 3 piece armani suit...... that i can understand....

 

what i dont like is.......

 

say a playa hurt his sholder and he has to put ice on it... Do you put the ice on ya sholder in ya 3 piece suit???

 

and why can a playa just coming into the arena dress casual... than put on jersey and than a suit....

 

why must he come into the arena with a suit and than put his jersey on and than put the suit on again???

 

do you think zach thomas comes in to a football game in a suit? the man comes in with a tee and some shorts getting ready to go to work.....

 

the whole dress code policy is f***ing gay..... reason jackson says its racist is cuz... when you think the NBA now a days you think HIP HOP/ RAP.....

 

and with this dress code thing ya trying to take the hip hop and rap thing outta the NBA..... there shouldnt be a dress code... all stern had to say was......

 

NO dou rags, no chains, no stocking caps, no bandanas, no jewlery.....

 

most these playaz are grown ass men..... how you gonna tell a grown ass man what he can wear and cant wear BULL sh*t........

 

too bad the NBA has weak ass union...... not everybody can dress like jordan and kobe......

I think the main complaint of those who say that the racism claim is unfounded is that if the NBA went out and said something along the lines of "you can't have wallets with chains attaching to your belt" no one would say a word about racism. Is it targeting one specific group? Maybe or maybe not, though only one specific group really wears wallets with chains attaching to their belts. But again, if there were language strictly about that the outcry would not be over racism.

And another thing that's being misused is the word "culture"...I don't see wearing shiny jewelry, chains and such as "culture"...it's more of just a fashion trend IMO.

 

It's really throwing sh*t against the wall and hoping that it sticks here by Jackson and some of the other players.

 

 

Since I used the word "culture" in my explanation, allow me to explain what I was thinking when I said it, and why Ifeel culture to be the most appropriate word:

 

The NBA went to the inner city, grabbing the do-rag wearing, baggy shorts ball handling kids and marketed the sport to them. They took the best that the cities had to offer, they sold their throwback jerseys to the same crowd, and they smiled all the way. Now that they gave these same troubled youths money, they simply had more means to express themselves the way they wanted...something that wasn't afforded while they were the recipients of welfare.

 

Take a walk around any downtown neighborhood, and look at what the people are wearing; there sure aren't many suits or even collared shirts. The chains and jerseys may be a new fashion trend, but the same concept has always been there, as drastically different from the professional style of the country club crowd as possible.

 

So, for me, it's hypocritical to say that it's OK to embrace the inner city when the league is struggling, but now that it's being marketed to the yuppi crowd and it has the clout (as the number 2 sport) to say what goes, it's telling the same people that it rode to the top what to do. Rasheed Wallace in a suit is still Rasheed Wallace, there's no difference.

 

I'm not saying that I think it's unfair of the league to have a code of conduct, I have a problem with what Stern is doing. He's going from one extreme to the other while taking a very important part of the NBA's resurgence in the past decade and kicking it to the curb. He's essentially said to the inner city community that it's OK to spend your money on our merchandise and tickets, but they way you act and dress is unprofessional and offensive.

i don't think anyone who has followed the league since the 80s would claim that it's been in a resurgence in the past decade .... most would say quite the opposite

i don't think anyone who has followed the league since the 80s would claim that it's been in a resurgence in the past decade .... most would say quite the opposite

 

 

Oh, I agree that after Magic and Bird there was a decline, and then there was a resurgence, but since '94, I don't think it's debateable that it's moved past baseball as the #2 sport behind football. It peaked, declined, and then surged ahead.